Caster-mounting bracket



Iov. 13, 1928.

'W. F. HEROLD (FASTER MOUNTING BRACKET Filed Jan. 5, 1926 INIf'ENTOR.WHLTER F HERULIJ;

A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,691,716 PATENT orr cs.

WALTER F. HEROLD, OF UPPER MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGN'OR TO THEJBASSICK COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F-CONNECTICUT.

cnsrnn-ivioun'rine BRACKET.

Application filed January ject of the invention being to provideabracket of this character adapted to furnish a top center pintlebearing, and in which the load strain between such bearing and thesupported structure may be transmitted in the most efficient manner, andside strain set up during movement of the furniture will not tend totwist or loosen the bracket.

To this end it is particularly proposed to provide a bracket in whichthe attaching rivets may be positioned below the top center bearing andin the direct vertical planes of the load strains, and further toprovide a lateral area within the bracket constituting an unimpeded freespace for the attaching of the rivets at the most desirable points forthe efficient support of the load and side strains imposed on thebracket.

Heretofore such brackets have included pintle socket or securing meanswhich eX- tended vertically about the pintle in such manner as tonecessitate attachment of the rivets in off-set relation to the verticalload strains, so that there was a decided tendency to distort and loosenthe bracket and to impair the swivelling action of the caster.

A further object is to provide yieldable holding means at the bottom ofthe bracket for retaining the pintle, which will have no tendency toretard the swivelling of the caster, and further to provide such meanswhich at no time is called upon to carry any stress due to side motionor side strains, so that such holding means is practically free of wearor deterioration. V

A still further object is to provide a bracket in the formof a hangerhaving a top center bearing for the caster pintle, and having its endsextended directly beneath the end of the furniture leg, so that the loadstrainp rimarily taken up by the attaching rivets is secondarilytransmitted directly to thebottom of the leg, so that thereis'practically no load strain on the bottom pintle retaining element,and it may therefore be made of relatively thin metal.

Other objects are to provide a bracket which may be economically formedfrom 5, 1926. Serial No; 79,322.

sh-eel "metal, and in which the metalmay be so shaped as to effectuallywithstand the excessive loads and strains to which such devices areoften subjected.

With the above and'other objects in View, an embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawings, andthisem= bodim'ent will behereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.-

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the inner side of p a metal angle iron leg,having a bracket and caster, according to the present embodiment oftheinvention, attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same with the caster removed; Fig. 3is a top plan view of the structure as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionalView, taken along the line -55' of Fig. '3, and showing the casterpintle in place; r Fig. -6 is a perspective view showing the severalparts of the bracket in separated re lation;

.Fig. 7 isa perspective view showing the parts of the bracket assembled;and I Fig. 8 is a plan view of a piece of sheet metal, and showing themanner in which a succession if pieces for forming the main part ofthebracket maybe cut therefrom in nestedrelation. I

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings. I

Referring to the drawings, the caster mounting bracket, according to thepresent embodiment of the invention, is adapted to be attached to theangle iron metal leglO, and comprises a onepiece'hanger including anupper horizontal portion 11 of substantially triangular shape, and sideportions 12 and 13' bent downwardly at right angles thereto in rightangular relation to each other, these portions 12 and 13'bei11gspacedalong their adjacent vertical edges in coin tinuation of a diagonal edge14 at the corner of the 'top portion which spans the rounded corner 15of the leg, so that the bracket will fit snugly at the inner side of theleg, as

-bracket for carrying with respect to the outer vertical edges of ingflange 16 adapted to render the top portion substantially rigid. IA topcenter pintle bearing portion 17, of truncated cone shape, is pressedupwardly in the top portion 11, and is provided centrally with aninverted cone bearing center 18 pressed therein.

At their lower ends the side portions 12 and 13 are provided withdownwardly 6X- tending tongues19 adapted to be inserted through slots 20in abase plate 21 and bent outwardly beneath the outer marginal edgeportions of said plate. The base plate is of substantially segmentalshape, its right angular edges beLng substantially flush with the outeredge of the leg, while its rounded edge 22 provides suflicient areawithin the the pintle retaining means, presently to be described. i

A pintle receiving opening 23 is provided in the base plate in axialalignment with the top center bearing. The pintle retaining meansiscarried upon the base plate, and in the present embodiment consists of acup member 24 having a central pintle receiving opening 25 in linewiththe opening 23, and secured by projecting ears 26 inserted throughslots 27 n the base plate and bent over upon the under surface, thereof.WVithin the cup member there is loosely engaged and retained a splitspring ring 28, its inner diameter being smaller than that of theopenings 23 and 25, and its outer diameter smaller than the innerdiameter of the cup member this spring ring adapted, as will presentlymore fully appear, to retain the caster pintle fric- I tionally.

' The bracketis secured to the leg by means of rivets 29 engaged inholes30 in the side portions 12 and 13 and holes 31 in the legs.

The detachable caster consistsof'the usual horn 32 having a caster wheel33 rotatably carried therein upon an axle 34, and having a pintle 35secured in its upper transverse portion, the lower end of the pintlebeing provided with a flange or shoulder 36 engaging the upper surfaceof the horn. The pintle'is provided at its lower portion with anenlarged diameter cylindrical portion 37, tapering, as at 38, to theupper smaller diameter portion, and between said portion 37 and theshoulder 36 there is preferably formed'a rounded fillet surface 39. vAtthe upper end of the pintle there is provideda cone-shaped recesstOadapted to rotatably engage the caster bearing 18. of the bracket. Thediameter of the pintleis such that the upper portion will pass freelythrough the spr ng ring 28, while the lower portion 37 will expand saidring and be thus held thereby against dropping out of the leg, the ringbeing snugly held about the pintle and freely portion 11 bysuitabledies,

rotatable within the cup member 24. In the operative or engaged positionof the caster,

as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the pintle has thrust bearing upon the centerbearing 18 of the bracket, being held verticallyby thebase plate, thespring ring 28 firmly retaining it against dropping out, but permittingit to rotate freely within the socket without impedance. The ring mayhave any desired degree of frictional binding engagement upon thepintle, but in any case will havefree rotary movement within the cupmember 24.

It is obvious that with thespresentconstruction, having a top centerbearing and a base retaining means spaced therefrom, that the innersurfaces of the side portions 12and '13 are. within an unobstructedlateral area,

so that it is possible, with the pintle removed, to ,secure the rivets.at any desired points therein, the free space within the bracketpermitting the use of a riveting machine at the inner side of the leg.In particular, the

construction permits the rivetsto be so placed that their horizontalaxes intersect the vert'cally disposed pintle, and the load straintransmitted from the upper bearing to the leg may be transmitteddirectly in the theoretically correct load strain lines. Thus anyunbalanced strain is prevented and the chances of distortion andlooseness elimi nated; Obviously, where it has heretofore been necessaryto apply the rivets in offset relation, the load strain was unbalanced,and side strain set up through movement of the furniture would tend torock the bracket about its pivot points, impairing the swivelling act'onof the caster and causing loosev ness. 7

Inasmuch as the'flange ends 19 extend directly beneath the leg end andtake up secondary load strains, the base plate 21 is practically free ofsuch strains, and may there fore be formedof relatively thin metal, orother suitable material.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated the manner in flange 16 of thenextblank.Simultaneously with the bending operation the bearing portion 17 ispreferably pressed into the .top

, I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactoryembodiment of the invention, but itis obvious that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what being provided with end flangeportions bent I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In afurniture support mounting bracket for attachment to an angle ironsupport, a removable pintle, element, a transverse sheet metal topportion including a pintle bearing portion, an attachment-portionintegral with and bent downwardly from said top portion, said top andattachment portions acting as a suspension support between the pintleand said angle iron support a base plate having a pintle receivinopening and supported by said attachment portion in spaced relation tosaid top portion, the space between said top and base portions providinga laterally unobstructed pocket between said portions upon removal ofthepintle whereby said attachment portion is laterally accessible at itsinner side along lines intersecting the pintle when the latter is inplace.

2. In a furniture support mounting bracket for attachment to an angleiron support, a removable pintle element, a transverse sheet metal topportion including a pintle bearing portion, attachment portions integralwith and bent downwardly from said top portion at two adjacent sides inangular relation to said top portion and to each other, said top andattachment portions acting as a suspension between the pintle and saidangle iron support a base plate having a pintle receiving opening andsupported by said attachment portions in spaced relationto said topportion, the space between said top and base portions providing alaterally unobstructed pocket between said portions upon removalof thepintle whereby said attachment portions are laterally accessible attheir inner sides along lines at right angles to said attachmentportions and intersecting the pintle when the latter is in place.

3. In a furniture support mounting bracket for attachment to an angleiron support, a transverse sheet metal top portion including a pintlebearing portion, a pair of attaching portions bent downwardly from saidtop portion along two adjacent sides in angular relation to each other,a base plate having a pintle receiving opening and supported by saidattaching portions in spaced relation to said top portion, saidattaching portions outwardly to an extent substantially corresponding tothe metal thickness of said angle iron support to retain said base plateand adapted to engage directly beneath the lower end of said angle ironsupport, whereby thrust on said top portion is adapted to be transferredto said angle iron support, the space between said top'and base ortionsproviding a laterally unobstructe pocket between said portions wherebysaid attachment portions are laterally accessible at their inner sides.

4. In a furniture support mounting bracket for attachment to an angleiron support, a transverse sheet metal top portion having a pintlebearing pressed therein, vertical at tachment portions integral with andbent downwardly therefrom along two adjacent sides in angular relationto each other, a base portion having a pintle receiving opening andsupported by said attaching portions in spaced relation to said topportion, whereby said vertical attachment'portions are laterallyaccessible at their inner sides.

5. In a furniture support mounting bracket a transverse sheet metaltopportion having a pintle bearing portion, vertical attachment portionsintegral with and bent downwardly from said top portion at two adjacentsides at right angles to said top portion and at ri ht angles to eachother,'a reinforcing flange bent from said top portion along athird'side diagonally with respect to said attaching portions, a baseportion having a pintle receiving opening and supported said attachingportions in spaced relation to said top portion, whereby said verticalattaching portions are laterally accessible at 1 their inner sides.

6. In a furniture support mounting bracket, a transverse sheet metal topportion having a pintle bearing portion, vertical attachment portionsintegral with and bent downwardly from said top portion in angularrelation to each other, integral reinforcing means formed in said topportion in opposed relation to said attachment portions and transverselyto a centralvertical plane between said attachment portions, a baseportion having apintle receiving opening and supported by saidattachment portions in spaced relation to said top portion, whereby saidattachment portions are laterally accessible at their inner sides.

Signed'at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairiield and State ofConnecticut, this 22nd day of December, 1925.

WALTER F. HEROLD.

